Fruit-picker.



No. 862,227. PAT-ENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

R. R. WOODRING. FRUIT PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8, 1907.

L. Rahal/312. Wwdwzg, W1 TNESSES [NI/ENTOR,

v y I r 1 C, I a r A TTORNEKS ROBERT R. WOODRING, OF CARROLL, IOWA.

FRUIT-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed April 8,1907. Serial No- 367,042.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT R. Woonnme, a citizen of the United States,residing at Carroll, in the county of Carroll and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Fruit-Picker, of which the following is aspeci Iication.

My present invention relates to improvements in devices for pickingfruit, and it has for its object to provide an improved device of thischaracter that may be easily operated from the ground or other distantpoint and insures the delivery of the fruit without liability ofinjuring it, the improved construction of the fruit severing ordetaching devices serving to effectually disengage the fruit from thelimb without marring it, and the flexible conductor insuring the safedescent of the fruit after being disengaged.

To these and other ends, the invention comprises the various novelfeatures of construction, and combination and arrangement of parts,which will'be more fully described hereinafter and set forthparticularly in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a fruitpicker constructed in accordance with the present invention, thesevering blades being shown in open position. Fig. 2 is-a view of thedevice shown in Fig. 1, as viewed from the right. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the upper portion of the device showing the mode ofoperation of the blades.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

The device shown in the present embodiment of my invention comprises arod or staff 1 that may be made of different lengths to be determinedaccording to the class of fruit or the height of the trees with whichthe device is to be used. Extending upwardly from the upper end of thestaff is a vertical bearing arm 2, and from the two adjacent sides ofthe staff extend a pair of brace arms 3 and 4, the upper ends of thelatter and the vertical bearing arm being attached at diametricallyopposite pointsto a circular frame 5 that is arranged in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the direction of the staff, theconnections employed in the present instance embodying pins 6 and 7which serve also as pivots for the severing blades 8 and 9, the latterbeing substantially semi-circular in shape and arranged to fold oneabove the other when they are closed, one of the blades, preferably thelower blade 8, being provided with a cross bar 10 arranged thereon at apoint between its upper periphery and the pivots and adapted to engageone side of the article or fruit and deflect it beneath the proximateedge of the blade 9 which engages the stem thereof, the deflection ofthe fruit being sufficient to break the stem if the fruit is ripe sothat the fruit will be taken from the tree in a manner similar to thatof can picking, the stems being broken a suflicient distance from thefruit to leave the latter with a relatively long stem. Should the stemfail to break on account of the bending, as may happen if the fruit isnot fully ripe, the blades in closing will operate as shears to severthe stem.

The ends of the blades at one side of the frame are prolonged beyondtheir pivots to form operating portions, the extremities of theseportions being pivotally attached to the upper ends of a pair of links11 and 12, the latter being pivotally attached by means of the pivot 13to an actuating bar 14, the latter being guided by means of bearings 15and 16, so as to operate longitudinally of the staff, a handle 17 beingarranged on the actuating bar at a point in proximity to the lower endof the staff so that the latter may beheld by one hand of the operatorand the handle of the actuating bar may be manipulated by the other handof the operator.

A relative upward movement of the actuating bar will spread the upperends of the links 11 and 12, operating to open the severing blades, andin order to normally retain the blades in open position to admit thefruit between them, it is .preferable to employ a spring 18 of helicalform encircling the actuating bar at a point between its bearings 15 and16, one end of the spring abutting against the bearing 16 while itsupper end presses against a stop collar 19 rigidly attached to theactuating bar, the latter engaging the upper bearing 15, if so desired,in order to limit the opening movement of the blades.

Attached to the circular frame 5 and depending therefrom is a tubularconductor 20 that is preferably composed of a relatively soft flexiblematerial, such as cloth or other fabric, that will not injure the fruitin passing therethrough, the upper portion of the conductor extendingbetween the brace arms 3 and 4 that are bowed outwardly in order toaccommodate it, the lower end of the conductor terminating at a point inproximity to the lower end of the staff so that the fruit descendingtherethrough may be caught either by hand or directed to a suitablereceptacle.

In picking fruit with a fruit picker constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, the appliance is manipulated from the ground or othersuitable means of support, the upper end of the appliance being soplaced that the article of fruit rests beneath the cooperating blades,the stem passing between their proximate edges, and after the fruit hasbeen thus introduced, the

actuating bar 14 is drawn downwardly by means of the handle 17, theupper ends of the links 11 and 12 cooperating with the prolongedoperating portions of the blades to turn the latter about their pivots,and as the upper portions of the blades move toward one another, thecross bar 10 will engage the fruit at one side and defleet it laterally,the stem of the fruit being at the same time engaged by the inner edgeof the opposing blade,

the stem of the fruit being thus severed, the article of fruit enteringthe annular frame 5 and extending through the conductor to the desiredpoint of delivery.

A fruit picker constructed in accordance with the present invention isrelatively light in weight, so that it may be readily manipulated, andthat form shown in the present instance is composed largely of sheetmetal parts that may be punched and formed by machinery, so that thecost of the device is relatively small, and as the opening movement ofthe blades is accomplished automatically, the device may be operatedwith the greatest facility.

What is claimed is 1- 1. A fruit picker embodying a staff, substantiallysemicircular blades having their ends pivoted on an axis arrangedtransverse to the staff, a fruit engaging device arranged on the underside of one of the blades for deflecting the fruit to bend its stemwhile the latter engages one of the blades, and means for operating theblades.

2. A fruit picker embodying a suitable staff, a pair of cooperativelyarranged severing blades pivoted at one end of the staff, one of theblades being provided with a cross bar arranged below it to coiiperatewith the side of the fruit as the blades are proximated, the other bladeserving to engage the stem and break it.

A fruit picker embodying a suitable staff having a bearing arm extendinglongitudinally thereof and a pair of brace arms extending obliquely tothe bearing arm, the upper ends of the bearing and brace arms beingprovided with pivot pins, and a conductor passing between the said bracearms, of a pair of cooperatively arranged severing blades mounted toturn on said pivot pins and having their ends prolonged beyond one ofthe pins to form operating portions, links cooperating with the end ofthe operating portions, and an actuating bar guided to reciprocatelongitudinally of the staff and operatively connected with the links foractuating them.

4. A fruit picker embodying a suitable staff having a vertical bearingarm arranged on one end thereof and a pair of brace arms extendingobliquely to the bearing arm and bowed outwardly, the upper ends of thebrace arms and bearing arm being provided with pivot pins, 9. circularframe connected to the pivot pins of the brace and bearing arms atopposite points of the frame, a flexible conductor havingits upper endopen and supported by the circular frame and extending downwardlybetween the outwardly bowed brace arms, a pair of semi-circular severingblades mounted above the frame and arranged to turn on the pivot pins,and suitable means for actuating the blades.

o. A fruit picker embodying a staff having a pair of guides suitablyspaced longitudinally thereon, a bearing arm arranged substantially inalinement with said guides, and brace arms having their upper endsoffset laterally of the bearing arm, a pair of cooperatively arrangedsevering blades mounted at the-upper ends of the bearing and brace arms,an actuating bar extending through said guides and operatively connectedto the severing blades at the sides thereof adjacent to said bearing armfor open ing and closing the blades by a longitudinal movement of thebar relatively to the stem, and a helical spring encircling the barbetween the guides and having one end engaging one of the guides and itsother end operatively connected to the actuating bar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT R. WOODRING.

Witnesses Gno. J. I-Inss, W. B. BROWN.

